Adam Winthrop (1548-1623) was the father of John Winthrop (1588-1649), the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He was the youngest son of Adam Winthrop (1498-1562), Master of the Clothworkers. Born in London in 1548, he probably spent some of his youth at Groton, in Suffolk, his father having purchased the former monastic manor in 1544 and taken up residence there in around 1552 . The elder Adam Winthrop died in 1562 and his widow, young Adam's mother, married William Mildmay. Young Adam inherited little land from his father. At the time he was enrolled in a private grammar school run by John Dawes in Ipswich. In 1567 he matriculated fellow commoner at Magdalene, Cambridge where he stayed for a few years, making friendships with John Still, John Knewstub, and Henry Sandes among others.

In 1574 Adam married Alice Still and around then presumably began legal studies at the Inns of Court. In 1575 the fellows of St John's College, where John Still was Master, appointed Adam steward of the college's Kentish manors. In 1577 his wife Alice died and two years later he married Anne Browne, son of Henry Browne, former clergyman of Groton. In 1584 Adam was called to the outer bar of the Inner Temple following a recommendation to the benchers from Robert Dudley, the earl of Leicester. He was one of the signatories of a declaration of loyalty to the Queen signed by the barristers of the Inner Temple in 1585. He was already active in the Groton area as a minor landowner and estate manager for his brother John, who had inherited Groton Manor. He also performed legal services for local landowners, including presiding over manor courts. Adam was one of the supporters of a lectureship at Boxford held by his friend Henry Sandes and was in contact with other members of the Dedham classis and also with John Knewstub, now at Cockfield and leader of a Suffolk classis. In 1592 he was appointed auditor of Trinity college and began annual journeys to Cambridge to check the college accounts. This appointment was undoubtedly due to the influence of John Still, who was Master of Trinity. Still was also archdeacon of Sudbury, presiding over the ecclesiastical jurisdiction that included Groton and Boxford.

Following his brother John's migration to the Munster Plantation in 1595, Adam assumed a larger role in local affairs. He would hold local offices such as overseer of the poor, coroner, and searcher for cloth, and served on commissions. Over time he had contacts with many of the leading families of the Stour Valley region and his son, John (born in 1588) would marry into the Clopton, Forth, and Tyndal families. Adam was also in contact with his nephew, William Alabaster, during the period of that individual's flirtations with the Church of Rome. Adam's own religious views were those of a reformer, in sympathy with the views of local clergymen like Knewstub, Sandes, and Richard Rogers. In this he followed the lead of his older brother William (1529 - 1582 ), a Londoner who was a friend of John Foxe, a churchwarden of St Michael's Cornhill, and who had extensive involvements with the stranger churches in London. Adam acquired numerous volumes of theology and practical divinity and shared them with clerical kin and friends. He continued to correspond with John Still after the latter became Bishop of Bath and Wells. Indeed, Adam briefly held an appointment as receiver for that diocese but does not appear to have taken up the responsibilities of the post. In 1610 his brother John sold Groton Manor to Adam's son John with Adam handling much of the detail and subsequently assisting his son in management of the estate. In 1616 both Adam and his son John were included on a patent roll listing of the Suffolk Commission of the Peace. This is the only such listing that includes Adam Winthrop. He died at Groton on 28 March 1623.

The Library of Adam Winthrop has been reconstructed from references to books that he made in his diary and from an examination of collections that passed down in the family. Of these collections the largest are those in the possession of the Massachusetts Historical Society, the New York Society, and Allegheny College. Examination of the actual volumes has made it possible to identify by signature, annotation and other means books that belonged to Adam Winthrop. The books and the annotation provide an insight into the reading and ideas of a gentleman and country barrister who was a supporter of Puritan reform in the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods and well connected with lay and clerical leaders of the movement in East Anglia. This compilation does not include the various almanacs that Adam Winthrop owned and annotated, many of which are in the Winthrop Papers at the Massachusetts Historical Society.

Bound together The Book of Common Prayer (1615); John Speed's The Genealoggies 66of the Scriptures (1611); The Bible (OT 1614; NT 1615), Two Concordances by R. F. Herry ? (1619) & The Psalms set to music by Sternhold & Hopkins (1618)
– handwritten notes by AW
MHS: WL

Apuleius, Lucius, Opera Quae quidem extant (Basel, 1560)
– on fly leaf: "underpinning the dwelling house/ the wall of the leanto/ underpinning the salthouse/ Making back for the chimney stacke high and lathing and dobing the chimney/ lathing and dobing a partition"
MHS: WL

Bede, Axiomata Philosophicae (Cologne, 1605)
– there is extensive writing in an old hand that is not AW's on the front and back fly leaves. At the top of the fly leaf in front of the title page is "Spes [ ] Christus" in AW's hand.
NYS: 34

Blundeville, Thomas,The Foure Chiefest Offices belonging to Horsemanship (1580)
– Th Blundevill of Newton Flotman in Norfolke,; dedicated to Lord Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester; no notes except loose mss frgament stuck in back which is two lines of a medical recipe of some sort, evidently in hand of AW
NYS: 39

Bright, Timothy, Hygieira, id est De Sanitate tuenda (1581)
WPI: 72

Brinkelow, Henry, The Complaint of Roderick Mors, sometime a Gray Fryre, unto the Parliamnet House of England for the dredresse of certain wicked laws, evill customs and cruel decrees (Geneve in Savoye, 1545)
– a note in AW's hand on title page states "Mr Bale maketh mention of the author of this booke in the ende of his Centuries. Clarvisse ait anno dmi 1540. varia cendens."; a few marginal notes
NYS: 169

Bullinger, Henry, A Hundred Sermons upon the Apocalips of Jesu Christe (1561), translated by John Daus
– writings by AW, including on one fly leaf "A true narration of the lyfe and deathe of Mr. John Daus, the translator of this booke, written by a Scholler of his. I cannot shewe where or when he was borne, or of what parentage he came, neither under what schoolemrs he was trained up in learninge, but this I have heard him saye, that he was brought up for divers yeres together in St Johns College in Cambridge & prosceded there to the Bachelors and Mrs actes. He was very well learned in the latin and greeke tounges and also in the true knowledge of the holy scriptures. In Queene Maries time he was in service wth the L Wentworth deputie of Calice untill it was loste, where he also loste all his goodes & one of his sonnes. From thence he wente into Germanye to keepe his conscience free from Idolatrie, wch then was sett up in England, and lived poorely there untill Q. Mary died. After whose death he retourned home, and dwelt at Ipswch in Suff many yeres where he taught first a private gramer schoole & afterwards was chosen Mr of the free schoole wthin the said towne, & continued in that office, untill one Mr Jermye, a very religious gentleman (who had bin sometimes his scholler) did bestowe freely uppon him the benefice of Sutton in Suff where he spent the rest of his life, in preaching the worde of god & teachign of his flocke. And there he died, beinge about fowrescore yeres olde. Anno dm 15.: Besides these C. Sermons of Mr Bullengers, uppon the Apocalips, he translated the Commentaryes of Mr Sleyden into Englishe & the Institutions of Mr Calvin in the largest volume, though Mr Norton afterwardes reviewed the same & nowe beareth the name of the translator thereof. And he had translated (as I heard him saie) the Ecclesiasticall storie of Eusebius out of greeke into Englishe, wch amongst other thinges he lost at the taking of Calice" and on the reverse of the title page a poem extolling Dawes
HU: xerox of title page and pages with AW writings in MHS: WP

Cartwright, Thomas, A Reply to an answere made of M. Doctor Whitgift. Against the Admonistion to the Parliament. By. T.C. 1573
– at bottom handwritten is "1573 by Thomas Cartwright" in what is probably AW hand; some marks that may be later; no notes
NYS: 55

Cosin, Richard, An Apologie of and for sundrie proceedings by Jurisdiction Ecclesiastical by R C (1591).
WPI: 41

Cotta, John, The Triall of Witch-Craft, Shewing the True and Right Methode of the Discovery: with a Confutation of erroneous wayes by Dr. John Cotta, Doctor in Physicke (London, 1616)
– a lot of AW notes and "A.W.G." signature; marginal notes include references to Stowe's Annals, Camden, Grimeston, Foxe, Holingshed, and Lambard's Perambulation; on the blank page facing the start of Cotts' "To the Reader" AW writes "Luce licet propria clarum sit clarius eius/ sit splendore tamen, cui titulater opus" and "Qui deo fidit furiosa Philtra/ non sibi possunt, nec amara Cirees/ vasa, non atra[ ] rabies Megera"; AW draws a hand pointing to Cotta's sentence "I was of late yeares Physician unto a right Noble Lady"; and at the end of that epistle AW writes under the name of John Cotta "the sonne of Peter Cotta an Italian"; on back fly leaf he gives a summary list of Cotta's sources and the pages where Cottas drew information.
NYS: 78

Cowell, John, The Interpreter, a booke containing the signification of Words: Wherein is set foorth the true meaning of all such words and termes as are mentioned in the Lawe writers or Statutes (Cambridge, 1607)
– on title page in AW hand is "the proclamation concerning the suppressing of this book shalbe repea[ ] [ ] James Deusrex – the missing words are cut off in trimming. At the bottom of the page in AW's hand is "This Doctor Cowell we ellect & appoynt Judge of the [ ] Court if the office be voyd by treason or murder by the now Judge theirof & absolut Judge of the the Court of High Admirall of England James Deu reax"
WPI: 139 and MHS: SL

Dubravius, Janus, A new booke of good husbandry ... conteining the Order and maner of making fish pondes, with the breeding, preserving and multiplying of the Carpe, Tench, Pike, and Trout written in Latin by Ianus Dubravius and translated into English at the request of George Churchez ? (1599)
– 2 copies, in one last p missing & supplied in handrwiting of AW
MHS: WL

Fortescue, John, De Laudibus Legum Angliae (London, 1616)
– there is a handwritten page (partly torn) that describes the work's contents and Fortescue and says the work was printed by Thomas Wight of Bonham Norton in 1599; while the writing is not AW's normal hand the style of the description is.
MHS: SL

Foxe, John, De Christo gratis justificante (London, 1583)
– "vincenti habitur Adam Winthrop" and on the back fly leaf lists of "Bookes of the Old Testament Lost" and "of the new testament"
MHS:WP

Fulke, William, A Sermon Preached at Hampton Court ... 1570, wherein is plainlye proved Babylon to be Rome .. by William Fulke, Bachelor of Divinity and Fellow of St John's College Cambridge (1570?)
– with marginal notes highlighting argument
MHS:WL

Fulke, William, A Sermon Preached on ... 17 March anno 1577 at St Alpheges Ch Cripplegate in London. Dedicated to Mr Robert Forth of Butley in Suffolk (1578?)
– no notes
MHS:WL

Gifford, George, A Dialogue Concerning Witches and Witchcrafts (London, 1593)
– with a few marginal notes by AW
MHS: WL

Googe, Barnabe, possibly Foure Bookes of Husbandry (1577 first ed)
– could be other work by Googe
WPI: 41

Hammer, M., trans, The Ancient Ecclesiastical Histories of the first six hundred years after Christ, wryten in the Greek tongue by ... Eusebius, Socrates, and Evagrius (London, 1576-7, 2 parts; 2nd ed 1585)
WPI: 72

Jewel, John, A Defence of the Apologie of the Church of England, an answeare to a certaine book by M Hardinge (1567)
WPI: 72

Johnson, Thomas, Cornucopia, of Divers Secrets Wherein is contained the rare secrets in Man, Beasts, Fowles, Fishes, Trees, Plants from Latin (London 1596)
– notes in AW hand and on the title page a few lines that are cut off half way through by severe trimming
MHS:WL

Lambard, William, Eirenarcha, or the Office of the Justices of Peace, in foure Bookes (London, 1610)
– marginal notes that could be AW; handwriting at top of title page severely trimmed and illegible
MHS: SL

Lambard, William, The Perambulation of Kent (1596)
– with extensive notes by AW on Lambard & on the text, often elaborating on text or providing additional information on places and events (including a number of providential stories); at the front of the book AW uses one blank page to write the following:
"In Laudem Authoris huis Libri, carmen saphicum
Gestiunt Musae, Charites triumphant, gestit insignis, lituis Apollo
Pallas, ac Orpheus, monumenta Lambard,
Cernere tanta
Ipse ne ditem videar beare, aureis nummis, calabrosue porris,
vel redun dantem Bromeum racerris
, Dicere Cesso
Estopus digne solido cupresso
Et cedro sua, simulate laude Mascrima; Bardi celebrate famam
Cantii alumni
Laude Lambardus celebris
peremi nunciacet pressus turnulo sed exit
Fama per latum vaga, clara spargens
Facta per orbem.
Cantii splendor, patriae decusa
Vir bonus, nulli pietate cedens
Qui deo fideus, arrimam beatam
Reddidit illia.
Dignum Laude virum Musa vetat mori AWG (Adam Winthrop Gentleman)
elsewhere AW uses a blank page to write:
"Mr Wm Lambarde was the sonne and heire of John Lambarde an Alderman and Shryve of London anno D 1551 & Eliz. 6. [ ] who was free of the Company of the Drapers. He was first brought up in Oxforde, and afterwardes a student of the common Lawe in Lincolnes Inne and there was made an utter barrester, I a Bencher of the same house. And by Sr Tho. Bromley then L. Chancelor he was put into the Commission of the peace in Kent. And by the Lorde Cobham Lately L.Chamberlayne he was muche used bothe in publike and also in his private affaires for he was wise [ ] and religious, as appereth by this booke, and divers other wch he compiled. He builded certaine almes houses in Greenewych (where he died) and gave Landes of a good yerely value for ever, to maintaine them. He departed out of this lyfe in the threescore and third yere of his age, the 21th day of August, anno 1601 and in th4e three and fortieth yere of the blessed reigne of Queene Elizabeth and lyeth buryed in sainte Alphegs churche in Greenewych. In memoria erit iustus. Mr Lambardes first wife was the daughter of Mr Moulton, by whom he had issue three sonnes & one daughter, the 2 yongest sonnes were twynnes, and died after their father, in thge 17 yere of their ages. Whose names were Gore and Vane. Ther elder brothers name is Moulton, who was knighted by Kinge James.
WPI: 71; MHS:WP

"5 bookes of Lewes Granatensis" possibly The Flowers of Lodowicke of Grando gathered out of his spiritual works (1601)
WPI: 82

Littleton, Littleton's Tenures in English (London, 1592)
– characteristic annotation in hand that appears to be AW's; on title page in AW's hand "Study to bee perfect in all tenures of land"
MHS: Waterstone

Severus, Alexander, Image of Government translated from Greek to English by Sir Thomas Eliot (London, 1540)
– note on Eliot and his father in hand of AW: Sir Thomas Eliot knight was the sonne of Sir Rich: Eliott knight one of the Justices of the common plees anno 12 H 8 and was borne in Suffolke as Mr Bale reporteth: he died at Carleton in Cambridshir the 25 day of Marche anno 1546 and in 37 yere of the reigne of Kinge Henry the eight. And lyeth buried in the churche of Carleton aforesaid. Ex cen 8. D Balaei
NYS: 136

Stubbes, John, The Discoverie of a Gaping Gulf, whereinto England is like to be swallowed by an other French Maraige, if the Lord forbid not the Banes, by letting her Majestie see the sin and punishment thereof (1579)
– information re: Stubbes in handwriting of AW on fly-leaf before title page: "Made by John Stubbes a gentleman of Lincolnes Inne: for the wch he was committed to the Tower, & from thence was brought to Westminster, and had jugement to have his right hand cutte of, the wch was executed, in kinges street uppon a Scaffolde, the thirde day of November, anno D 1579, & Elizabeth Reginae anliae vicesimo primo.
Mr Canden in his history of the annales of Queene Elizabeth, pag: 324. 325 & 326, very modestly & wisely maketh mention of Mr Stubbes, & of the contents of this booke. And how grivously her Majesty tooke the writing & publishing of it, wch she commanded to be burned & the Author to be severely punished.
MHS Proceedings vol X, 482: RW report with details

Vives, Joannes Ludovicus, De ratione dicendi (Louvain, 1533)
– has AW signature; it belonged originally to Daniel Wythipoll (his signature, with the date 1560 is on the flyleaf), who was of the Ipswich Wythipolls; it is said to have passed from him to Henry Foljambe and then to AW; some notes on flyleaf in AW hand
AC

Gualter Walther, Rodolph, Certaine Godlie Homilies, or Sermons upon the Prophets Abdias and Jonas, translated into English by Robert Norton (London, 1573)
– extensive annotation by AW, including list of other books which also deal with explication of these scriptural books: " Mr Wm Tindal made a long prologue of the Prophet Jonas, wch is printed amonge his woorkes. Pag: 23. 24. 25. 26. 27
Mr John Hooper made sermons before King Edwarde the sixte, wch are in printe
Mr Francis Junius wrote analyses in Latine of this prophet wch I have
Dr. Kinge nowe B. Of London expounded this prophet in divers sermons wch are printed
Dr Baro a french man red upon the prophet in Cambridge, whose lectures are in print
Mr Francis Quarles metaphrased him in meeter
Mr. Hen: Sandes preached upon Jonas in Groton churche divers sermons, anno 1620. 1621
In the Doctrine of the Bible by Questions & Answeres, this booke is unfolded. Fol: 142
Mr Calvin made Commentaries upon al the smal Prophetes
And Mr Gualter wrote Homilies"
– at the end of the Epistle to the reader by John Walker, AW writes: " Dr Walker was Archdeacon of Essex in the reigne of Q. Eliz: & was one of them that disputed with Campion the Jesuite in the Tower of London. Mr Norton that translated these 2 Homilies out of latine into English was the publicke preacher in Ipswiche & a Doctor of divinitie"; next to the remark in the dedictaory epistle commenting on the "godly and reformed household of good master Drue Druries", AW writes "Sr Drue Drurye" in the margin to draw attention to it
NYS: 122

Wilson, George, The Commendation of Cockes, and Cock-fighting (London, 1607)
– quite a few pages of notes (some references to classic allusions to cocks, another reference to Roger Ascham and what he wrote on the subject) and marginal annotations – transcribe these here
MHS: WL

Baro, Peter, Petris Baronis in Jonan prophetum praelectiones 39 (1579)
– in his notes in Walther's Homilies above AW writes "Dr Baro, a frenchman red upon the prophet in Cambridge, whose Lectures are in print"; AW was familiar with it even if he didn't own it
see NYS: 122

Bright, Thomas, A Treatise of Melancholie (London, 1586)
– marginal notes that appear to be in the hand of AW
MHS: WL

Calvin, John, ?Sermons of Master John Calvin upon the Booke of Job? (1574)
– in his notes in Walther's Homilies above AW writes "Mr Calvin made Comentaries upon al the smal Prophets" – his father-in-law, Henry Browne evidently owned and copied from the volume above
see NYS: 122

Grindal, Edmund, A Profitable and Necessary Doctrine with Certaine Homilies adjoined thereunto (London, 1555)
HU: record of gift of JW

Hollyband, Claudius, A Treatiuse for Declining of Verbes, which may be called the second chiefest worke of the French tongue (London, 1590)
– bound in parchment with "1590" written in what could be hand of AW; volume does have signature of John Alabaster and a short poem in his hand
NYS: 133

Hooper, John, An oversight and deliberacion upon the prphete Jonas (1550)
– in his notes in Walther's Homilies above AW writes that "Mr John Hooper made sermons before King Edwarde the sixte, which are in printe"; he was familiar with it even if he didn't own it
see NYS: 122

King, John, Lectures upon Jonas (1594)
– in his notes to Walther's Hiomilies above AW writes "Dr Kinge nowe B of London expounded this prophet in divers sermons wch are printed"; he was familiar with it even if he didn't own it
see NYS: 122

Melanchton, Philip, Liber de Anima (Witeburg, 1571)
– an enormous amount of annotation in very small script, most of which doesn't look like AW (but what of Anna – see #3 in section below; make comparisons)
NYS: 160

Pilkington, James, A Godlie Exposiotion upon certaine chapters of Nehemiah, written by James Pilkington and now newlie published. In the latter end, because the Author could not finish that treatise of Oppression which he had begoune, there is added that for a supplie, which of late was published by Robert Some, D. Of Divinitie (Cambridge, 1585); preface by John Foxe
– on title page is "William Robinson"; marginal notes that appear to be in the hand of AW; margins are severely trimmed; no flyleaves

Quarles, Francis, A feast for wormes. Set forth in a poeme of the history of Jonah (1620)
– in his notes in Walther's Homilies above AW writes "Mr Fancis Quarles metaphrased him Jonas in meeter; what would this have been?
see NYS: 122

Tyndale, William, The Whole Works of W. Tyndall, J. Frirth and Doct. Barnes, 2 vols (1593)
– in his notes in Walther's Homilies above, AW identifies the pages in this where "Mr Wm Tindal made a long prologue of the Prophet Jonas"; he was familiar with it even if he didn't own it
see NYS: 122

Wilcox, Thomas, collected works, including Exposition upon Psalms, Proverbs, and Canticles (1624)
– some numbers in margin, some doodles, including feeble "A"s & "W"; volume is rebound with original title page and fly leaves missing
NYS: 97

The Doctrine of the Bible; or Rules of Discipline. Briefly gathered through the whole course of the Scripture, by way of Questions & Answeres (London, 1616?) – correct title? date?
– in his notes in Walther's Homilies above AW writes "In the Doctrine of the bible by Questions & Answeres, this booke is unfolded, fol: 142"
see NYS: 122

The Calendar of Scripture Whearin the Hebru, Chaldien, Arabian, Phenician, Syrian, Persian, Greek, and Latin names of Nations, Cuntreys, Men ... mentioned, by order of letters are set and turned into our English toungue (1575)
– on title page "William Robinson" in 16th or 17th c hand; "Explicit" in what looks like hand of AW; also possible since bound with B25
AC

C. Owned by Friends and Relatives and in Collections

Castiglione, Baldassare, Balthasaris Castilionis Comitis De Curiali fivee Aulica ... ex Italico sermone in Latinum conversi Bartholomae Clerke Anglo Cantabrigiensi Interprete (London, 1593)
– in front is printed sheet "The sinner's conversion" & written note "Arthur Blomefeild doe this booke witnes -------- Daily" & at end of book a handwritten page that could be but probably is not AW. In his diary AW notes that the widow Blomefeld married Philip Gostlin.
NYS: 57